Josh Lueke the Pitcher :- ) (2)
=== Capt. Jack ===
My take on Jack Zduriencik's performance here? SSI believes that Zduriencik's only "messup" was to fail to anticipate Chuck Armstrong's PC sensitivities.
SSI believes that Armstrong's sensitivities are different from those that a GM finds in the typical ML city, and that the Times' reporting would not have gained nearly so much traction in Arlington or Chicago or Kansas City. I could be wrong.
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I don't fault Zduriencik for this, at all. I see it as one more case wherein a man of colossal stature and reputation in baseball, ran headlong into a Seattle Mariners baseball culture that has priorities far different from thos in other ML cities.
When Zduriencik saw the spit-storm, he did what he could: he spun the story a little bit, so as to absolve his boss from blame, and so as to represent himself as not in rebellion to that boss.
Of course, scabs like that don't heal if people don't stop picking at it. So Zduriencik finds himself in a situation that sometimes occurs in upper management: it's not really anybody's fault (unless Armstrong's), but still, heads are going to roll.
M's fans wonder why Zduriencik would sign on under these circumstances. What, in his mid-50's, ten years from retirement, Zduriencik wasn't going to take his GM opportunity? Preposterous. The exec takes the job and he hopes for the best.
A melancholy incident all around. Our fervent wishes that the Mariners will hop over this speed bump and that Zduriencik will GM the Mariners, with authority, for the next ten years.
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=== The Times ===
As to the Seattle Times' role, I'll be curious to see what they do if the Mariners bring Lueke to camp next spring.
The Times has said its piece, has reported the issue. If it perpetually campaigns for Lueke to be blacklisted in Seattle, the conversation becomes a different one.
There's a difference between (1) reporting on a ballclub's executive steering, and (2) using Josh Lueke as a thinly-veiled weapon to enforce social agendas.
To this point, there has been an interesting, and controversial, story, about "dysfunction" in the Mariners' offices. If March 2011 brings a fresh campaign against Lueke, the reporting will be confirmed to have had a different intention.
Trying to report on Mariners' management is one thing. Attempting to render one ballplayer persona non grata is a different thing.
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Feasibly, Zduriencik might ask Baker what his plans are. I certainly would! I don't need the distraction next March, so would prefer to have an early gauge on the plusses and minuses of keeping Lueke. Before I got to Arizona.
Also feasibly, Zduriencik might go ahead and trade Josh Lueke if Baker reveals his hand to be, "Lueke won't pitch for the Mariners if I can help it."
Which would be an amusing, though logical, degree of influence for a local reporter / analyst to wield.
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=== Best Case Scenario ===
Supposing that the Mariners did decide to issue a few comments:
"Josh Lueke had a very unfortunate incident, and has been judged and punished. No further incidents of any type will be tolerated. In the meantime, Josh will continue to pursue his goals with the Mariners and we wish him the best in recovering his life and career" ...
And then the Mariners decided to allow Lueke to become the next impact AL short man?
Well, I guess they'd wind up with the pitcher they thought they traded Brandon Morrow for.
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Cheers,
Dr D